The Prayer Ministry of the Church, by Watchman Nee

THREE THINGS TO GIVE PRAISE FOR

Lastly, the Lord taught us to give praise for three things: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” This praise tells us that the kingdom belongs to the Father, the power belongs to the Father, and the glory belongs to the Father. The three things that we give praise for have to do with deliverance from the evil one. They also have to do with the whole prayer that the Lord taught. We pray that the Lord would deliver us from the evil one because the kingdom is the Father’s and not Satan’s, because the power is the Father’s and not Satan’s, and because the glory is the Father’s and not Satan’s. This is the main point: since the kingdom belongs to the Father, we should not fall into the hand of Satan; since the power belongs to the Father, we should not fall into the hand of Satan; and since the glory belongs to the Father, we should not fall into the hand of Satan. This is the strong reason behind not falling into Satan’s hand. If we fall into Satan’s hand, how can we glorify the Father any longer? If the Father is to have power over us, Satan cannot have power over us. Since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to the Father, we cannot and should not fall into Satan’s hand.

Concerning authority, we should remember the Lord’s word. He said, “Behold, I have given you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). This verse says that the authority He gives enables us to overcome all the power of the enemy. With authority there is power. The Lord wants us to know that with the kingdom, there is authority, and behind the authority, the power to rule. The kingdom is God’s and not Satan’s. Authority belongs to God, not to Satan. Consequently, power belongs to God, not to Satan. Of course, glory also belongs to God, not to Satan. Since the kingdom, the power, and the glory all belong to God, those who belong to God should overcome all temptation and be delivered from the hand of Satan.

In the New Testament, the Lord’s name denotes authority, while the Holy Spirit denotes power. All authority is in the Lord’s name, while all power is in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power of God. The kingdom denotes the rule of heaven and the authority of God, while the power tells us that all power is in the Holy Spirit. When God moves, the Holy Spirit becomes His power. Since the kingdom belongs to God, Satan has nowhere to exercise his reign. Since the power belongs to the Holy Spirit, Satan can in no way touch the Holy Spirit. Matthew 12:28 tells us that whenever the demons touched the Holy Spirit, they were cast out. Finally, glory also belongs to God. Hence, we can declare and loudly give praise: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

The Lord taught us to pray in this way. This does not mean that we should recite it as a ritualistic ceremony, but pray according to this pattern. All prayers should be according to this pattern. Concerning God, we desire that His name be sanctified, His kingdom come, and His will be done on earth as in heaven. Concerning ourselves, we ask that God would protect us. Concerning our praise, it is based on the fact that the kingdom, the power, and the glory are His. Since the kingdom, the power, and the glory are His, His name should be sanctified, His kingdom should come, and His will should be done on earth as in heaven. Since the kingdom, the power, and the glory are His, we pray to Him concerning our daily bread, our debt, our temptation, and the evil one. Every prayer should take this prayer as its pattern. Some have said that this prayer is not for Christians because it does not end with the words “in the name of the Lord.” This is foolish. The prayer that the Lord teaches is not an incantation that we pray. What prayer in the New Testament ends with the words “in the name of the Lord”? When the disciples were on the boat, and they cried, “Lord, save us; we are perishing” (Matt. 8:25), did they end with the words “in the name of the Lord”? The Lord did not teach us to say these words. He taught us to pray according to this principle. He taught us the way to pray. He did not tell us to pray with these words.

(The Prayer Ministry of the Church, Chapter 2, by Watchman Nee)